Vol. 3 No. 30 Free to Next o f Kin October ,1944 THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE PRISONERS OF WAR DEPARTMENT OF THE RED CROSS ST.AND JOHN WAR ORGANISATION. ST. JAMES’S PALACE. LONDON. S.W.I RED Cross St.and John personnel were present in strength a t the quayside when the repatriate ships berthed at Liverpool on September 15th to 1 6th. Members of the Prisoners of War Department from London present included Colonel Montague Brown representing Sir Richard Howard-V yse, the Chairman, Mrs. B rom ley-D aven port. of the Invalid Comforts Section, Lady Winifred Gore of the Civilian Internees, and Miss Fen wick of the Royal Navy and Merchant Seamen Sections. The repatriates looked for the most part in surprisingly good health and spirits. Penicillin Patient One of them was a young officer .in whom the Invalid Comforts Section took particular interest, for it was on his behalf that the first application from the prison camps for penicillin was made. H e was desperately ill a t the time and received his supply b airy in time for him to recover sufficiently to travel with the repatriation party .Another prisoner for whom a special type of waterbed w assent to Germany came home, still lying on the bed which the Red Cross had sent. Semolina and Socks Repatriates of every rank and from every camp had the same simple comment to make about Red Cross— “But for the parcels we should not be hese to-day ."One man from London, overhearing this remark, added the comment, ¦'Yes ,that forgoes me too. I ’ve been ill min y stomach for months and I lived 011 semolina from the Red Cross three times a day until it nearly outran of m y blinking Tears. hat’s why I ’m here to-day .”For space reasons many of the men had their bulkier personal luggage on a different ship from the one they travelled in. One of the men was offered a pair of Red Cross socks. He refused the gift saying that he would rather wash the pair he was wearing than take any thing further from the Red Cross, who had been so constantly generous. Bacon Tins Wiped Clean“ A good hot square meal, a bath, and a good, clean bed .”These appear to bethe things most urgently craved by the repatriates reaching this country ,second only to their longing to reach their homes. A n observant orderly on a repatriates’ train ism y authority for this. H e refers also to their in satiate demand for hot sweet tea— ‘‘Id on’t know how many cups were enjoyed b y them during the jo urn ey, for kindly people brought them to the train during halts, as well as the amount given b y u s.”He noticed too that the bacon tins were wiped quite clean with bread, which suggested a great need of fats. Delivery of Mail Relatives have been most patient about the irregular arrival of letters lately ,knowing that delays and difficulties have been due to interruption of communications brought about b they rapid Allied advance. Many have been cheered b they delivery o f a large consignment of mail in the last week or two, and those who have not heard can rest assured that the Post Office is constantly making every effort to keep mail flowing and loses no opportunity to forward and deliver letters. A Sad Packing Centre Following the suspension of the despatch of next-of-kin parcels, I have received a pathetic story from our Joint County Representatives at Fareh am of how the advice to suspend work at the Packing Centres was received a t the Southampton Centre. It is one of the twelve Packing Centres in Hampshire and had been open for exactly two Red Cross St.and John Mobile Canteens were on duty at a dispersal point in Surrey serving refreshments to repatriated men awaiting departure.